Daf 230a (דַּף ר״ל ע״א)

Rabbi Ḥizkiyah opened and said (פָּתַח רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה וְאָמַר), “May my prayer be set forth as incense before You, the lifting of my hands as the evening offering” [Tehillim 141] (תִּכּוֹן תְּפִלָּתִי קְטֹרֶת לְפָנֶיךָ מַשְׂאַת כַּפַּי מִנְחַת עָרֶב). Why “evening offering” and not the morning prayer? (אַמַּאי מִנְחַת עָרֶב וְלָא צְלוֹתָא דְצַפְרָא) For it is not written: “May my prayer be established in the morning” (דְּלָא כְּתִיב תִּכּוֹן תְּפִלָּתִי בַּבֹּקֶר). Rather, thus it is said (אֶלָּא הָכִי אִתְּמָר): “May my prayer be set forth as incense before You” (תִּכּוֹן תְּפִלָּתִי קְטֹרֶת לְפָנֶיךָ) incense only comes through joy (קְטֹרֶת לָא אַתְיָא אֶלָּא עַל חֶדְוָה), as it is written: “Oil and incense gladden the heart” [Mishlei 27] (שֶׁמֶן וּקְטֹרֶת יְשַׂמַּח לֵב).

And for this reason (וְעַל דָּא), the Kohen, when lighting the lamps, would offer incense (כַּהֲנָא כַּד אַדְלִיק בּוֹצִינִין, הֲוָה מַקְרִיב קְטֹרֶת), as it is said: “When he prepares the lamps, he shall offer it…” [Shemot 30] (כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: בְּהֵיטִיבוֹ אֶת הַנֵּרוֹת יַקְטִירֶנָּה, וּבְהַעֲלוֹת אַהֲרֹן אֶת הַנֵּרוֹת בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם יַקְטִירֶנָּה). In the morning-this is for joy, which that time brings (בְּצַפְרָא, עַל חֶדְוָה, דְּשַׁעְתָּא גָרִים); in the evening-to sweeten the left side, and so it appears (בְּרַמְשָׁא, לְמֶחדֵי סְטַר שְׂמָאלָא, וְהָכִי אִתְחֲזֵי). And always, incense only comes through joy (וּלְעָלַם לָא אָתֵי אֶלָּא עַל חֶדְוָה).

Come and see (וְתָא חֲזֵי): incense binds bonds (קְטֹרֶת מְקַשֵּׁר קִשְׁרִין), and holds above and below (וְאָחִיד לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא), and this removes death, accusation, and wrath (וְדָא אַעֲבַר מוֹתָא וְקִטְרוּגָא וְרוּגְזָא), which cannot rule in the world (דְּלָא יָכִיל לְשַׁלְטָאָה בְּעַלְמָא). As it is written (כְּמָה דִכְתִיב): “Moshe said to Aharon: take the fire pan, place on it fire from the altar and put incense, and go quickly…” [Bamidbar 17] (וַיֹּאמֶר משֶׁה אֶל אַהֲרֹן קַח אֶת הַמַּחְתָּה וְתֵן עָלֶיהָ אֵשׁ מֵעַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְשִׂים קְטֹרֶת וְהוֹלֵךְ מְהֵרָה וְגו׳). Afterwards it is written (לְבָתַר דָּא כְּתִיב): “And he ran… and atoned for the people” (וַיָּרָץ וַיְכַפֵּר עַל הָעָם), and it is written: “He stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stopped” (וּכְתִיב: וַיַּעֲמֹד בֵּין הַמֵּתִים וּבֵין הַחַיִּים וַתֵּעָצַר הַמַּגֵּפָה).

For no evil forces nor accusers can stand before the incense (בְּגִין דְּלָא יָכְלִין כָּל סִטְרִין בִּישִׁין וְכָל מְקַטְרְגִין לְמֵיקַם קַמֵּי קְטֹרֶת). And for this reason, it is the secret (Some say: the joy-of all and the bond of all (וְעַל דָּא: אִיהוּ רָזָא (ס״א: חֶדְוָה דְכֹלָּא וְקִשּׁוּרָא דְכֹלָּא). At the time of Minḥah (וּבְשַׁעְתָּא דְמִנְחָה), when judgment dwells in the world (דְּדִינָא שַׁרְיָא בְּעַלְמָא), David aligned his intention with that prayer (אִתְכַּוֵּון דָּוִד בְּהַהוּא צְלוֹתָא), as it is written: “May my prayer be set forth as incense before You…” [Tehillim 141] (דִּכְתִיב: תִּכּוֹן תְּפִלָּתִי קְטֹרֶת לְפָנֶיךָ וְגו׳). And this prayer that ascends (וְהַאי צְלוֹתָא דְסָלִיק), removes wrath and harsh judgment (יַעֲבֵר רוּגְזָא דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא), which rules at this time (דְּשַׁלִּיט הַשְׁתָּא בְּהַאי זִמְנָא), through that incense (בְּהַהוּא קְטֹרֶת), which repels and removes all wrath (דְּדָחֵי וְאַעֲבַר קַמֵּיהּ כָּל רוּגְזָא), and all the accusers of the world (וְכָל קִטְרוּגָא דְעַלְמָא). Some say: this is why it is called Minḥat Erev-the evening offering (ס״א: מַאי טַעְמָא בְּגִין דְּאִיהִי מִנְחַת עָרֶב), because judgment prevails in the world then (דְּדִינָא תַּלְיָא בְּעַלְמָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): when the Temple was destroyed (כַּד אִתְחָרַב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא), at the time it was set aflame (בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְאִתּוֹקַד), it was the time of Minḥah (זְמַן מִנְחָה הֲוָה). And therefore it is written: “Woe to us! for the day declines, the shadows of evening are stretched out” [Yirmeyahu 6] (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב: אוֹי לָנוּ כִּי פָנָה הַיּוֹם כִּי יִנָּטוּ צִלְלֵי עָרֶב). Who are the “shadows of evening”? (מַאן צִלְלֵי עָרֶב) They are the accusers of the world (אִינוּן מְקַטְרְגִין דְּעַלְמָא), and the angers of judgments (וְרוּגְזֵי דְּדִינִין), which are prepared at that time (דִּזְמִינִין בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא). And therefore we have learned (וְעַל דָּא תָּנִינָן), that a person must direct his intention in the prayer of Minḥah (דְּבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְכַוְּונָא דַעְתֵּיהּ, בִּצְלוֹתָא דְמִנְחָה). In all prayers a person must direct his mind (בְּכֻלְּהוּ צְלוֹתָא בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְכַוְּונָא דַעְתֵּיהּ), but in this prayer more than all others (וּבְהַאי צְלוֹתָא יַתִּיר מִכֻּלְּהוּ), because judgment dwells in the world (בְּגִין דְּדִינָא שַׁרְיָא בְּעַלְמָא). And for this reason, the prayer of Minḥah was established by Yitzḥak (וְעַל דָּא זְמַן צְלוֹתָא דְמִנְחָה, יִצְחָק תַּקִּין לֵיהּ), and this has already been established (וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ). As they were walking (עַד דְּהֲווּ אָזְלֵי), they entered a certain mountain (אָעֳלוּ בְּחַד טוּרָא). Rabbi Yosei said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי), “This mountain is one of awe-let us pass and not linger here (הַאי טוּרָא דַחֲלָא, נִהַךְ וְלָא נִתְעַכֵּב הָכָא), for it is a mountain of fear” (בְּגִין דְּטוּרָא דְּחִילָא הוּא).

Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה), “If we were just one [man], I would say so (אִי הֲוָה חַד, הֲוָה אֲמִינָא הָכִי). For we have learned (דְּהָא תָּנִינָן): one who travels alone on the way, places himself in danger (דְּמַאן דְּאָזִיל יְחִידָאי בְּאוֹרְחָא, אִתְחַיַּיב בְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ). But three-not so (אֲבָל תְּלָתָא לָא). And each one of us is fitting-that the Shekhinta does not depart from us (וְכָל חַד וְחַד מִינָן, אִתְחֲזֵי דְלָא תַעֲדֵי מִינָן שְׁכִינְתָּא).

Rabbi Yosei said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי), “Behold, we have learned that a person should not rely on a miracle” (הָא תָּנִינָן דְּלָא יִסְמוֹךְ בַּר נָשׁ עַל נִסָּא). From where do we learn this? From Shemu’el (מְנָלָן מִשְׁמוּאֵל), as it is written: “How shall I go? For Shaul will hear and kill me” [Shmuel I 16] (דִּכְתִיב: אֵיךְ אֵלֵךְ וְשָׁמַע שָׁאוּל וַהֲרָגָנִי). And behold, Shemu’el was greater than we (וְהָא אִתְחֲזֵי שְׁמוּאֵל יַתִּיר מִינָן). He said to him (אָמַר לֵיהּ), “Even so-he was alone, and danger is visible to the eye” (אֲפִילּוּ הָכִי, אִיהוּ הֲוָה חַד, וְהֶזֵּיקָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח לְעֵינָא). But we are three, and no harm is seen (אֲבָל אֲנַן תְּלָתָא, וְהֶזֵּיקָא לָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח לְעֵינָא).

For if because of Mazikin (דְּאִי מִשּׁוּם מַזִּיקִין), we have learned that to three they neither appear nor harm (הָא תָּנִינָן: דְּלִתְלָתָא לָא מִתְחֲזֵי וְלָא מַזְקֵי). And if because of bandits, they are not found here (וְאִי מִשּׁוּם לִסְטִים, לָא מִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי הָכָא), for this mountain is far from settled places (דְּהָא רָחִיק מֵיִישׁוּבָא הַאי טוּרָא), and people are not found here (וּבְנֵי נָשָׁא לָא מִשְׁתַּכְּחֵי הָכָא). Rather, it is fear-dreadful visions are found here (בְּרַם דְּחִילוּ הוּא, דְּחֵיוָון בָּרָא דְּמִשְׁתַּכְּחִין הָכָא).

He opened and said (פָּתַח וְאָמַר): “The angel who redeems me from all evil…” (הַמַּלְאָךְ הַגּוֹאֵל אוֹתִי מִכָּל רָע) this verse must be contemplated (הַאי קְרָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא בֵּיהּ). Some say: for behold it is written “the redeemer”; it should have said “who redeemed” (ס״א: דְּהָא כְּתִיב הַגּוֹאֵל; אֲשֶׁר גָּאַל מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ). Why “the redeemer”? (מַאי: הַגּוֹאֵל) Because he is constantly present with man (בְּגִין דְּהוּא מִשְׁתַּכַּח תָּדִיר לְגַבֵּי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא), and never departs from a righteous man forever (וְלָא אַעֲדֵי מִבַּר נָשׁ זַכָּאָה לְעָלְמִין).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): “The angel who redeems me”-this is the Shekhinta (הַמַּלְאָךְ הַגּוֹאֵל אוֹתִי, דָּא שְׁכִינְתָּא), who goes with man constantly (דְּאָזִיל עִמֵּיהּ דְּבַּר נָשׁ תָּדִיר), and never departs from him when he guards the commandments of the Orayta (וְלָא אַעֲדֵי מִנֵּיהּ, כַּד בַּר נָשׁ נָטִיר פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא). And because of this (וְעַל דָּא), a person should be careful not to go alone on the road (יִזְדַּהֵר בַּר נָשׁ, דְּלָא יִפּוּק יְחִידָאי בְּאוֹרְחָא). What does it mean “alone”? (מַאי יְחִידָאי) That he should be careful to guard the commandments of the Orayta (דְּיִזְדַּהֵר בַּר נָשׁ לְמִטַּר פִּקּוּדֵי דְאוֹרַיְיתָא), so that the Shekhinta does not depart from him (בְּגִין דְּלָא תַעֲדֵי מִנֵּיהּ שְׁכִינְתָּא), and he not be forced to walk alone without the Zivug of the Shekhinta (וְיִצְטָרֵךְ לְמֵיזַל יְחִידָאי, בְּלָא זִוּוּגָא דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): when a person goes on the road (כַּד נָפִיק בַּר נָשׁ לְאוֹרְחָא), he should prepare prayer before his Master (יְסַדַּר צְלוֹתָא קַמֵי מָארֵיהּ), to draw upon him the Shekhinta (בְּגִין לְאַמְשָׁכָא עֲלֵיהּ שְׁכִינְתָּא), and only afterwards go out on the road (וּלְבָתַר יִפּוּק לְאוֹרְחָא), and the Zivug of the Shekhinta will be found (וְיִשְׁכַּח זִוּוּגָא דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא), to redeem him on the way (לְמִפְרַק לֵיהּ בְּאוֹרְחָא), and to deliver him in all that he may need (וּלְשֵׁזָבָא לֵיהּ בְּכָל מַה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ).